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'Beer travel' a growing piece of tourism industry

By Tom Wilmes Friday Beer Correspondent

Posted:
03/31/2012 01:00:00 AM MDT

(Courtesy photo The Brewers Association)

It's the time of year when parents are thinking about summer plans for their young kids, but why should the school-aged set have all the fun? There are plenty of adult-oriented camps, trips and tours that combine learning about beer with a memorable experience.

Brewers Association President and Boulder resident Charlie Papazian will host one such retreat this summer on Whitehead Island, a small coastal island near Rockland, Maine. Scheduled for July 27 through Aug. 1, guests stay in private quarters in the renovated keeper's house at the historic Whitehead Light Station and enjoy an intimate craft-beer seminar lead by Papazian that will includes tastings, discussions, lectures, field trips and family-style meals made with fresh local ingredients.

Papazian, author of "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing," founded the Association of Brewers, as well as the Great American Beer Festival. He also taught home-brewing classes in Boulder for many years, and is one of craft brewing's most knowledgeable and ardent advocates.

He promises to share his expertise, as well as select bottles from his beer collection and some homebrewed beers and meads. This will be Papazian's fourth time hosting the retreat for the nonprofit Whitehead Light Station, and he says that the small group size and relaxed setting are especially conducive to learning about and enjoying beer at a leisurely pace.

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"Being right on the mouth of the Penobscot Bay overlooking the sea and lobster boats when they do their morning and evening runs is comforting," says Papazian. "The island is big enough to do some exploring and then there are so many other things to see and do. And it seems we work good beer and good times into each day."

station.org for registration information. The retreat costs $1,500 double room/$1,900 single and is all inclusive.

If you'd like to elevate your heart rate while boosting your beer appreciation, an active tour from Zephyr Adventures may be more your speed. The company will conduct two beer-related tours this summer that combine cycling and hiking with great beers.

There's a Colorado trip Oct. 8-12 that departs from Boulder and visits Fort Collins, Estes Park and Denver. The tour includes accommodations each night, guided hiking and cycling, and a visit to a local brewpub each evening.

Local residents however might be more interested in the Yellowstone tour scheduled for July 20-25. This trip loops through and around Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, with stops in Bozeman, Big Sky, Jackson, and Red Lodge, Montana. The trip also visits breweries in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, with educational components throughout.

"In my opinion, beer travel is just becoming a real segment of the tourism industry," says company founder and Boulder resident Allan Wright. "On the basic end, 'beer travel' probably just involves seeking out a brewpub or local brewery when someone is traveling for work or vacation. More serious is when people actually plan their trips to visit areas that have good breweries."

.com for details. The Colorado trip costs $1,700 (plus $600 for a single room) and the Yellowstone trip costs $1,900 ($700 single).

Water is the main ingredient in beer, so it's fitting that the Paddles and Pints rafting trip offered by Rogue Wilderness Adventures combines the two in a fun-filled Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 3.

Guests spend four days paddling down Oregon's Rogue River and three evenings camped out riverside enjoying gourmet meals and a selection of craft beer's from Eugene, Oregon-based Ninkasi Brewing.

The company also offers a Hop-i-licious Hiking tour that travels down the historic Rogue River hiking trail. Each evening includes beer tastings from a featured brewery (including a few rare international beers), as well as a visit from a featured brewer who will spend time explaining their craft and talking about the beers.

Call 541-479-9554 or visit wildrogue.com for more information on either trip. Both cost $1,050 per person, plus government fees, and include all camping equipment, food, guides, transportation and beer.

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